Clutch mechanism



I P 4, w. H *EDMONDSON 2,384,418

' CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed June 21, 1941 2 Sheet-Sheet 1 r g m INVENTOR.

AIM/710mm W Sept. 4, 1945. w. H. EDMONDSON CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed June21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

W- BY V was invemibn relates 1m clutch .mhimgm Email nesemenfion, Oakfiaikfm,

Un'iied meme G'o'mpany or Ameri'ea, *amttmonnemmre entiretv hythereferents inumrfitli ifi. i #531116 audit is particularly concernedWith-an-;im-

proved, .single 'position' clutch mechanism; i. e., onein which-thetclutc'h partsare 'engageabie nnly when the: drive and driven :partsoftheiclutch' are disposed-"in -.a predetermined rotary re1ati'on hi -\V Tv \j The invention :15, also more particularly con--' eerned with-1aSinglepnsition clutch wherein the driven element may :bemaintained:continuously in rotation bye-auxiliary drivingmeans wheni theclutch i disengaged. r

The principal oba'ects f; the invention" are :1t0 provide a relativelysimple butaeflicientand positive single position" clutch ofthe-character indisated; to provide such a -"c1uteh-=-whichwi-1110mirate with a quick "but nevertheless smooth-action and whichpossible; baekwiash :movement; between the dJiYiIIQ' flDdAdBiVQD-felements istefiectiveiy eontrolled; and in general itis, wthe'obiect ofthe invention to provide an improved clutch structure of theeharacterindicated; 1Q;

-Othe-r obj eotsiandadvantagesof the invention will v he understood 'byreferenceto the (following specification and -a.ceompanying drawingssheets) -whereinth'ere isd-isclosed.aelutehstruoture embodying aEekGtefl form of -the invention.

1 In the drawings:

I Fig =1.-is aside elevation; 7

Eig. ,2 a,- section-onthedine 2- 2 ems; '7

theaxtehf the clutehvstructure;.-:-

r Eigv. -4 ;is ans ectien on the {line 4-4 of v 3 Figs. 5'and6 are,respe ctiveiy; illustrations:bf

the i sved'd vfinxp nbs-otitheelutch struoture.v H i l in the. presentinstanee the @l-utch structure is illustrated in association with-aanin-taglimprinti n gv roll fiesignated -w th'e esame;;being suitablyournailedeatrits-;oppesite;ends-in; hearings sueh and" that the apresent reference to; printing :mechanism' ismerelytfor,illustrativepunposesvfi i {Theprinting roll L9; has east-raft portion 12a extendingitherefrom a-nd said shaft'mortion rhas securedt0 it a gear wheel J3, vthe same-having as indicated at I 5 (Figure-21; q .-;AS:shown inFiguref3, the hub I14 extends: beyond the semi It of the shaft so as toprovide a socketlfl;

driven"clzutehimember 'is new emim'dying aa hub: 1 portion:ilimhichdsgsuitably splined te theihuhelfl; so; as-rte benon-matatghlebut ea xiedlv 3 movablei relative thereto; Said. driven clutch 'memberflzfozmedqtq provident groove or way- 20-101: receiving studs av r-tllers Z I by the=forked:ends,-22, fl ofe;- clutch operatingrarmin. 1 z:1 T113 wnera; 'ng armfliwisriulerumed;in termediate; nits gendsa-ibybearingmengagement againstarsuitablyriormed-iugnrbarifl'fenarnorthemaidi spnings'servingztoumesilientiy urge the arm ,-Mtastasisziniaseanntemloekwise,direetionws vieweduin Lgaboiit itsfulorumaengagement 'With the lug 24. .n

'--T11'e1 1ower end tthe clutch roperatinggsarmj'fl isipivotedeasxshowmat, E28 2 1203 the outer: end eiza pin-risen 29 "whichi: is slidablvmounted:v ;i-n a;sui-t= abIe-Zpneumatic eylinder-Msyg'rhe iImer-zendmfthewplunger :23 :is zp ovided withxsuitable washer means ;-sucn:.-as:iimiicated at x3 I'- 1 o11-;;providi-ng sea-led engagement withthe cylinder waiha-ndztiie inne mend-.of theicylinder icommunicates{through a'iport 32 :and is pipe 43::with: at source ofqarir oriiquidpressure for I with aniairwexhaustingi means. Therroperationi of;rthegpneumatic onhydrauliemyb indermnimay, oteourseyiae-controlled bmany suit ably aetuatedwalvetmeans notzh'erein shown 1 Itwi 11 heobserved that why :means of theplungerai'id.cylindenstrueture-i29e3fintheaciutch membergflimay he!shifted axially onathe :hub 44. 1'; "zxstshownxin-(thefdrawings,theeidriven'member l8 is:-:;sp1med:;t0 the: huh ;-I 4 qbyimeansoiwa plmWi /moi uniformlyi p edv-rkeysiand keviways dicated at 434;: in:thisdiristanee reemprising v-iour such keys-but. bViQLISIYriSUbjBGtjiFbOqYfliifibiOhIin aqcoifdainoewwith rthe requirements of any-speeificinstai'la -tien of the=c1utehstructuren-r' "1 1. -;The hub-rtfla isprovided with ra iaterai flangelikeeextensinnfl at one emigsaidfiflangeiikeextension eeing-i formed (either ;integra1; 1y lwith 'f the hub orseparateiy and-mounted thereenp in-this iIiStaHCQWhBg saidextension-illustrated :as ea separateelement rm unted' .-on1 the hubrand it will be urrdersteod: that itis-zsomounimd thereonzthatefieetritbeeomeg rigid with-the'hub 118; Fpr this. apunpose 'the flangerextensi m-r 35 may i'rbe at 38 and 39, these openings beingrespectively; 9:

disposed at different distances from thp ax s o f rotation of the clutchmember. With the" arcuate openings 38 and 39, there a ro aSQQifltQdgZIIQSRCQ-r tively, gradually deepeningrgr s, Land; H. Thebottoms of the grooves 40 and 4! merge at the shallow ends of thegrooves. as indicated at 71 42 with the face of the flange 35. At thedeep ends of the grooves the said bottoms terminategz as indicated at 43in the end of the respective a fcl ai o eningsfland 39w? -"1 i-*' nQTh'e' driving l'utch' me i her? is 1? designated in its en rety- 'by'tha -reference numeral '44, the-same being in -the form' ofa' disc" orflange I carriedat one? 'd 'of ai shaft 45' which' projects from aidrivfin" mechanism indicated in' its" entirety at" '46:Thedriving'--mechanisnr"liniay beiofirany suitable form; it may, forexample, be afielectric-motor, or; as" here fill'ustrhted-pa worm and'wor'm wheel speed reducing-l drive bf which the shaft 45 is the o ut'put' shaftf Such driving' ineehanism 46- may be mountedin any suitablemanner; for example; ona frame element iniiicate'dat '41; I A's"a-fpiactieall m atter ,-'the"driVe member- 44 may be formedfindepndentlyof the' shaft 45 t. and may be coz'ihected- -thereto byibing boltedor 35otherwise secured to 'a' siiitable'flange' structure 48 which is rigidlysciiredto the en for th'drive shaft 45. "Ine'emtch" disc '44 I isprovided-with 1 ceritral 1-; st ib shaft eIeme'ntM WTiichconstitutes,irieffect-; n exteris'io'nlbf the shaft 15. semi-stub shaft'49 projects met orite-wand is jo'urna'lled in said hu suitable-tear ng:bushingi'ifl being provided-in aid' hub"forre'ceiving'said shaft exapluralityg 'in this in tane four, of honcntrically disposed, 'erid'wise'pro'j ectin g teeth '51! which'i-hav abrupflfeies fl' adapted o engagethe abrupt faces 31 0f" the tethbf th driven clut h me'm 50 berf pair ofpins 53 "and-' respectively, also project endwise from the flange, the's'ame beihg respeeti-v'ely spaced rli'ffereht *dista'n'ce's" froin th-axi's nrrotatiori' -or the eiut'chstructtre which or correspohwtethe:sehig:omhopemhgsnIrena 39{--from sai;tf i's' 'so tfialfl the pins- 53mm54 are' respe'ctivel daptedto enter the openings end- 3 QintheHiriVen'ClutGh' member. r i r if {Iritheo'perationfof thcl'iith"structure; whenit-is desiredto disengage tli'e cliitchi'the shiftabie clutchmemberi'flisrhovdaxially away from the driving member 44 so a's to'efiect If disengagement ofthle teetli es 'ah'd-is r: As an incidenttogsuch operation 'of the 'cliitch fnembera-the' pins 53' and 54'will bewith'drawn from the'iopeningfisfl38 and 65 39, so that th'i clutch'me'mber 44' may continue to rotate iat it's normal driving speed'whony'iride pendentlyo'f the driven-zcmtch member 3' wheh the clutch rhembersare thus separated 'the'ciutch member I 8 may" neverthelesscontinueatd'rotat at any". desired speed ofi Jrotation; usuallye a :rerduced speed, incident to the auxiliaryorxsupples mental; driye:efieotedgthrough the :;gear.:; I 3

" u lemen al: dx yrinaze rthezsearewh'ands in this instance, of theprinting cylinder ID to which the other. It will be observed the esieriie tthei fie sfi hiii short intervals for adjustment or other purposes.It

,w-ill be understood that there is thus obviated the necessity of anotherwise diflicult roll cleaning operation preliminary to againstarting the printing machine The; means for driving the gear 13 -mayrinelude aflge ar 55 (see Figure 2) meshing with thegear- I-3 and itselfdriven by gear or other conne :tic ns tg any suitable source of power.

" "When it 'is"desired to re-engage the clutch structure: the shiftablemember [8 is moved toward the driving member 43 by the action of thespringsiztran'd the pump cylinder 301- 'The pins Brand '54 a're of such:length that their free ends come into "engagement 1 with theradjaceritface" of the flange"?! 5: of "the"shiftable clutch member topreventtinterengagementi'of the teeth 36= and- 5| until: such timeas:the: ins-entemtherespective openings 38 and 39. It will be rememberedthat tiveiy; so that wherr the said ijins'ido efiteh'the said openingsthe driving and 'd'riven clutch mam: bers 'willalwa'ys be inthe samere1at iv'e rotary position and each tooth '36 w; 11 be engaged alwaysby- -the same tooth-5 23 By thisarrangernent the driven:lutchfifiembfltand the parts connected thereto 'ihcluein ini this irfs'tiiridefithieprinting r011 H;-wnlywhehnriten bythedr in'g mem'b'r ember andtn drivingthe r An important but o't' th'e scribed-singleposition-emailstfueturis'i' nectior i'with a mu u' emor-prihtih'gers twoor 'r'noreprinting' units 'mustbe s6 eachfothe'i that the printihjefictedhy register -'proper1y 'Wlth the print such printing units areconnected printing unitsmay bex nclently 'of" the operation of tlieothers" and started up again immediately in proper regist'r withtheotheu itsgf Y there are a series of printing units they a're'diiverifrom ahoinmonniaiflshaftwh tithe-typifies byi th'e maiiffsHaft -56 er twliel'dri'ving unit 46,' and that the 'drlvmg such a's' 45"of a seriesdrs'uch drive as; at an "times ma'iitiiiri co stant elationship toeach-othi aii'd to the main shartss'; --'-;'Ariother 'typi eal use prthdescribed s n hon-clutch structure trationi'of attract-r structurmaybe sinner cdttiiig: mechanism ttf be i'e t started .withhproperreglst ationf 6r" s'yiich or operation;between the cuttirig rhe'c'hamthe printing r g +.iQther advantageousiuseszoftheidescribed'siiigleposition Clutch structure will appear from time to time and thosementioned are intended merely to illustrate the utility of thestructure.

In the described structure, the arcuate openings 3B and 39 serve topermit a limited amount of relative back lash movement between thedriving and driven clutch members, the extent of such back lash movementbeing, however, limited by the travel of the pins 53 and 54 in theopenings 38 and 39, respectively. It is considered desirable that suchlimited back lash movement be permitted in order to eliminate excessivestrains especially in connection with the operation of heavy equipmentsuch as printing equipment already referred to.

The gradually deepening grooves 40 and M constitute tracks for guidingthe pins 53 and 54 gradually into the openings 38 and 39 to therebyavoid excessive snap action in the clutch structure, and also to insureentrance of the pins into the respective openings. In other words, theinclined ramp-like entrances to the openings 38 and 39 serve to preventthe pins 53 and 54 from overriding the openings 38 and 39 which mightotherwise occur unless the openings themselves were lengthenedsufiiciently to provide adequate time for the pins to move into theopenings. Such lengthening of the openings would, however, in manyinstances be objectionable in that it would permit excessive back lashmovement which, in the described structure, is held-to within desirableor permissible limits.

Changes in the described structure may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined bythe following claims, the same being construed as broadly as possible,consistent with the state of the art.

I claim:

1. In a clutch, the combination of a pair of rotatable, coaxiallydisposed and relatively axially shiftable clutch members, said membershaving a plurality of circumferentially arranged, interengageable teethfor the transmission of rotary movement from one of the members to theother, said teeth having engaging faces substantially perpendicular tothe plane of rotation of said members so as to afford positive drivingconnection between said members, and means for controlling axialmovement of said members toward each other to cause said teeth tointerengage only in a predetermined rotary relationship between saidmembers, said means comprising an element projecting from one of saidmembers toward the other in radially offset relation to said teeth, andsaid other member having an opening for receiving said projectingelement only in said predetermined relationship of the members.

2. In a clutch, the combination of a pair of rotatable coaxiallydisposed and relatively axially shiftable clutch members, said membershaving a plurality of circumferentially arranged interengageable teethfor the transmission of rotary movement from one of the members to theother, means for controlling axial movement of said members toward eachother to cause said teeth to interengage only in a predetermined rotaryrelationship between said members, said means comprising a pinprojecting from one of said members toward the other, and said othermember having an opening for receiving said pin in said predeterminedrelationship of the members, said other member having an arcuate groovecoaxial with the member and communicating with said opening, the bottomof said groove being inclined from the normal surface of the member to asubstantial depth at said opening and serving to permit relative axialmovement of said clutch members so as to insure at least partialrelative overlapping of said clutch teeth prior to actualinterengagement therebetween, and movable means operatively connected toone of said clutch members for efiecting axial shifting thereof relativeto the other.

WILLIAM H. EDMONDSON.

